Aerosol container for dispensing uniformly metered proportions of the components of a composition



Dec. 9, 1969 MARDER ET'AL 3,482,737

-AEROSOL CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING UNIFORMLY METERED PROPORTIONS OF THE COMPONENTS OF A COMPOSITION Filed April 17, 1968 2 Sheets-$heet 1 c\ -I 10 PEG-i lOc H6 9 Ha 7 I '9 r J 1 l5 l3 1-: i 24 II 3 22 22221 Ii 3 3 ll 29 28 lw :r/// I "III I BY WWW I Dec. 9, 1969 H. L. MARDER E'AL 3,482,737

AEROSOL CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING UNIFORMLY METERED PROPORTIONS OF THE COMPONENTS OF A COMPOSITION Filed April 17, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :0 F I G 2 2 I00 W n z, W

1'??? 5 l2 5 5 T 23 5' 2 \I 2 25 =24 I INVENTORS H. L. MARDER AND F L. STECKHAHN United States Patent AEROSOL CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING UNI- FORMLY METERED PROPORTIONS OF THE COMPONENTS OF A COMPOSITION Herman L. Marder, Plainfield, and Frank L. Steckhahn, New Shrewsbury, N.J., assignors to American Home Products Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 17, 1968, Ser. No. 722,002 Int. Cl. B6511 35/22, 83/14 US. Cl. 22294 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An aerosol container is provided with manually-actuatable valve means for dispensing a substantially constantly constituted composition comprising two components which are separately contained in the container. The valve means are constructed to assure the mixing of the components in uniformly metered proportions regardless of the manner in which the valve means are manually actuated. The device is particularly suitable for dispensing instantly warm shaving lather.

Background of the invention The invention relates generally to aerosol containers provided with manually-actuatable valve means for dispensing the contents of the container and, more particularly, to such aerosol containers wherein the manuallyactuatable valve means thereof are adapted to dispensing a mixture comprising two components separately contained in the container. Such valve means have been found especially useful for dispensing two components which on admixture, generate an instantly warm lather suitable for application to the face for shaving.

In U.S.P. No. 3,326,416 there is disclosed an aerosol container provided with manually actuatable valve means which do perform the general function referred to immediately above. The valve means utilized partakes generally of the well-known Clayton valve which comprises a tiltable tubular valve stem normally biased to upright positioned by a resilient grommet. In accordance with the Clayton valve concept, when the tiltable valve stem is tilted against the biasing action of the grommet, the latter, which also serves as valving means, has an edge thereof moved out of abutment with a co-acting stationery valve surface, whereby the valve is opened. However, the device disclosed in the patent which adapts the Clayton concept to the dispensing of two components of a composition, has been found to have the serious drawback that proportions of the two components dispensed to form the heat-evolving mixture may vary considerably depending upon the manner of manipulation of the actuatable valve means. This disadvantage of the prior art device appears to be due to the fact that, in accordance with the disclosure in said patent, the flange which provides the co-acting valve surface for the grommet and functions also as mounting means to which the inner container is attached, has multiple orifices therethrough as does the lower area of the tubular valve stem.

Once the seal afforded by the grommet is broken, as by tilting the valve stem for actuating the valve means, the amounts of flow through each set of orifices are independent of each other. That is, upon actuation of the valve means, the flow of liquid from the inner and outer containers are uncontrollable in the sense that each may vary separately depending upon (a) the direction of the tilting of the stern, (b) the extent to which the stem is tilted, and/or (c) the number of orifices that are exposed upon displacing the grommet from the upper surface of the flange.

3,482,737 Patented Dec. 9, 1969 ice Summary of the invention In consideration of the above-noted disadvantage of the prior art devices, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improvement in existing aerosol container dispensing-valve combinations wherein the proportions of the components of the compositions dispensed are substantially uniform, regardless of the manner of manipulation of the valve stem.

It is a corollary object of the invention to provide such an improvement which, however, requires substantially minimal structural changes in existing devices, yet effectively assures the desired result with respect to the uniform proportions of the components of the compositions.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention are achieved by providing an aerosol container comprising a side wall, a bottom wall, and a top wall which enclose a first chamber adapted to maintain therein a fluid under pressure, the top wall having an opening therein, manually actuatable valve means mounted in the opening in sealing engagement therewith, said manually actuatable valve means comprising (1) a resilient grommet extending axially through said opening in sealing engagement therewith and (2) a tubular stem having an axially disposed conduit therein fitted co-axially and sealingly in said grommet, said tubular stem having one end thereof extending outwardly of said grommet and terminating outside of said container in a dispensing outlet for said axially disposed conduit, said tubular stem having the other end thereof extending inwardly of said grommet and terminating inside said first chamber in a valve head which seals said other end of said tubular stem, said valve head having a laterally extending annular shoulder, said tubular stem being urged into upright position by said resilient grommet, but being tiltable about an intermediate pivot point therefor against said urging action of said resilient grommet, a smaller collapsible container within said first chamber and having its upper end sealingly attached to said valve head, thereby to provide a second smaller chamber within said first chamber, said resilient grommet having the lower portion thereof terminating within said first chamber in an annular end which forms a breechable seal with the laterally extending shoulder of said valve head, said lower portion of said grommet having an inner wall defining with a portion of said laterally extending shoulder of said valve head an annular third chamber which surrounds said lower end of said tubular stern, port means in the wall of the lower portion of said tubular stern communicating said annular third chamber with the dispensing outlet at the outer end of said tubular stem via said conduit therein, said valve head having orifice means therethrough communicating with the interior of said second smaller chamber formed by said inner container, an annular channel in the face of said laterally extending shoulder of said valve head facing outwardly of said inner container, said annular channel being in communication with said orifice means and normally being sealed by said annular end of said grommet, said tubular stem having a circumferential groove in communication with said annular chamber and with said port means in said tubular stem, said first and second chamber being in communication with said annular chamber and, thereby, via said groove, said port means and said conduit, with said dispenser outlet of said tubular stem, onlywhen said tubular stem is tilted to breech the seal between the lower end of said grommet and said annular channel.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention, and the specific nature thereof will be more readily understood from the description of a preferred embodi ment set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings which are described immediately below:

Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-section of an aerosol container embodying the present invention, with the manually actuatable stem untilted and hence, in valve-closed, non-dispensing position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the upper portion of the aerosol container shown in FIG. 1, but with the valve stem tilted and hence in valve-open, dispensing position; and

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-section of the valve assembly taken along line 33 of FIG. 1.

Description of the preferred embodiment of the invention Referring to the drawings, and particularly FIG. 1 thereof, an aerosol container 2 embodying the invention comprises a cylindrical sidewall 3, a bottom wall 4, and a top closure and mounting cup 5 having an opening 6 therein. Said sidewall 3, bottom wall 4 and mounting cup 5 are permanently and sealingly attached at their abutting peripheral edges by the usual crimped beads 7 and 8, respectively.

Mounted in opening 6 is a manually actuatable valve assembly 9. Valve assembly 9 comprises a tubular stem 10 of a relatively rigid plastic composition having an axially disposed conduit 10a. Tubular stem 10 is fitted co-axially and sealingly in a resilient grommet 11. Grommet 11 is made of a resilient plastic rubber composition and is sealingly press-fitted into opening 6 of mounting cup 5 and maintained therein by abutment of its opposed shoulders 12 and 13 with the top edge 14 and bottom surface 15, respectively, of top mounting cup 5 adjacent opening 6. Resilient grommet 11 functions to maintain tubular stem 10 in normally disposed upright position.

For assuring that the tubular stem 10 does not move axially within grommet 11, there are provided on said stem 10, a top annular ridge 16 having a downwardly facing shoulder 17 which abuts the upper edge 11a of grommet 11, in conjunction with a bottom laterally extending head 18 which provides an upwardly facing annular surface 19 on which the lower edge 20 of grommet 11 abuts. Laterally extending head 18 has a downwardly extending peripheral flange 18a for a purpose referred to hereinafter. This abutment of lower edge 20 of grommet 11 and upwardly facing annular surface 19 of laterally extending head 18 performs a second vital function which will be referred to in greater detail hereinafter.

Provided on said tubular stem 10, intermediate said ridge 16 and said laterally extending head 18 thereof, but closer to said ridge 16, is an annular protuberance or bead 21 which seats within a complementary groove 22 provided in the interior wall surface 23 of grommet 11. Tubular stem 10' has, on a portion of its surface, above top annular ridge 16 thereof, a male thread 100, on which a cover C, shown in phantom in FIG. 1, may be mounted on container 2 by means of a co-acting female thread provided thereon. Cap C is conventionally utilized as a closure for the container when not in use and also to assure that stem 10 is not tilted inadvertently.

Grommet 11 is tapered so that it provides an annular chamber 24 at a lowermost area defined by the opposed inner wall surface 23 adjacent lower edge 20 by grommet 11, the lower cylindrical surface 10b of tubular stem 10, which extends from annular head 21 to laterally extending head 18, and the upwardly facing surface 19 of the latter. Provided in the lower cylindrical surface 10b of tubular stem 10 is a circumferential groove 25 and, in the latter, a port 26 which thus communicates said annular chamber 24 with conduit 10a in tubular stem 10. Sealed to downwardly extending flange 18a of laterally extending head 18 is the upper end of an otherwise sealed flexible bag or tube 28 enclosing an inner chamber 29. A plurality of orifices 30 serve to afford communication between inner chamber 29 or bag 28 and annular chamber 24. As will be understood by those skilled in the art the .4 number of orifices 30 may vary, and in certain instances a single orifice 30 will suffice.

In accordance with a salient feature of the present invention, there is provided in the upwardly facing surface 19 of laterally extending head 18, an annular channel 27, which is so dimensioned and so positioned that, in the untilted position oftubular stem 10, the lower edge 20 of grommet 11 completely and sealingly obturates said channel 27, thereby closing communication between both the chamber of container 2 and inner chamber 29, with annular chamber 24 provided beneath the lower area of grommet 11.

The use and operation of the improved container for dispensing a substantially constantly constituted composition, will be self-evident from the description thereof hereinabove. Thus, for dispensing warm shaving lather, for which said container is particularly suited; the latter may be, assembled, charged with the two separate components and the propellant gas, and ultimately used by the consumer, in the manner generally described, for example, in said U.S.P. No. 3,326,416. The highly important distinction, however, is that in the use of container of the present invention, any variations in degree and/or direction of tilting of the tubular stem by the consumer for actuating the valve means, do not alter the dispensing of a substantially constantly constituted composition, due to the novel structure of the valve means disclosed herein.

As will readily appear to those skilled in the art, although containers embodying the invention are particularly suitable for dispensing warm shaving lather, they may be used as well for dispensing many other compositions wherein the dispensing of uniformly metered proportions of the components of the ultimate composition is desired. Merely by way of example, containers embodying the invention may be employed to advantage for dispensing cosmetic creams, food products and toothpaste compositions comprising uniformly metered proportions of two components, which are preferably maintained separately before use, for such reasons as incompatability, or the like. Similarly, containers embodying the invention may be utilized to advantage for dispensing adhesive compositions wherein one component thereof may contain a catalyst, for example. Further, the containers may be used for paint compositions wherein one component thereof may comprise a setting ingredient. Also, two component insecticides, cleaning and bleaching compositions, caulking compositions, warmed liniments or other topical compositions, may be advantageously dispensed from containers embodying the invention, as may foaming materials of various kinds, including fire extinguishing compositions. Other applications of the containers embodying the present invention will readil appear to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. An aerosol container for dispersing uniformly metered proportions of two separately contained components of a composition, which container comprises a side wall, a bottom wall, and a top wall which enclose a first chamber adapted to maintain therein a fluid under pressure, said top wall having an opening therein; manually actuatable valve means mounted in the opening in said top wall; said manually actuatable valve means comprising a resilient grommet extending axially through said opening in sealing engagement therewith, and a tubular stem having an axially disposed conduit therein fitted co-axially and sealingly in said grommet; said tubular stem having one end thereof extending outwardly of said grommet and terminating outside of said container in a dispensing outlet for said axially disposed conduit, said tubular stem having the other end thereof extending inwardly of said grommet and terminating inside said first chamber in a valve head which seals said other end of said tubular stem; said valve head having a laterally exte'nding annular shoulder; said tubular stem being urged into upright position by said resilient grommet, but being tiltable about an intermediate pivot point therefor against said urging action of said resilient grommet; a smaller collapsible container within said first chamber and having its upper end sealingly attached to said valve head, thereby to provide a smaller second chamber Within said first chamber; said resilient grommet having the lower portion thereof terminating, Within said first chamber, in

- an annular end which forms a breechable seal with said laterally extending shoulder of said valve head; said lower portion of said grommet having an inner wall defining with a portion of said laterally extending shoulder of said valve head, an annular third chamber Which surrounds said lower end of said tubular stem; port means in the wall of the lower portion of said tubular stem communicating said annular third chamber with said dispensing outlet at said outer end of said tubular stem via said conduit therein; said valve head having orifice means extending only partially therethrough communicating with the interior of said smaller second chamber formed by said inner container; an annular channel in the face of said laterally extending shoulder of said valve head facing outwardly of said inner container, said annular channel being in communication with said orifice means and normally being directly sealed by said annular end of said grommet which is always displaced from said orifice means; said tubular stem having a circumferential groove in communication with said annular chamber and with said port means in said tubular stern; said first chamber and said smaller second chamber being in communication with said annular chamber and, thereby, via said groove, said port means, and said conduit, with said dispenser outlet of said tubular stem, only when said tubular stem is tilted to breech the seal between the lower end of said grommet and said annular channel.

2. An aerosol container for dispensing uniformly metered proportions of two separately contained components of a composition, as defined in claim 1, wherein said laterally extending annular shoulder of said valve head has a downwardly extending peripheral flange to which said smaller collapsible container is attached.

3. An aerosol container for dispensing uniformly metered proportions of two separately contained components of a composition, as defined in claim 2, wherein said smaller collapsible container comprises a flexible Wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,372,839 3/1968 Hayes 222-136 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner NORMAN L. STACK, IR., Assistant Examiner Us. (:1. X.R, 222 136, 402.2g 

